I always like strolling down the produce aisles. Bright colors of reds, oranges, greens on both sides. Bags of [hopefully] farm fresh goods for easy pickings. At Whole Foods on South St [and I presume elsewhere] they have an endcap with a stack of funky produce.

Philadelphia has a shitload of murals, the people living here know that perfectly well. It's got a ton of inspirational ones with Paul Robeson, thriving communities, green gardens... And it also has some [or at least one] artsy morbid mural.

I spotted the mural above around 2nd & Race Sts a couple weekends ago and forgot to post it until now. It's in a parking lot on the side of a N-S street, I'm pretty sure it was 2nd St. You can't see the whole thing as you walk southbound. You initially see the stem of the roses, then the leaves, then the whole blooming rose. Then your eye is drawn further inward, deeper into the parking lot as you walk further south. You see the head of a black swan with a fiery red beak and matching eyes. You follow the gracefully curving neck to... a black-blooded stump. The black continues into the next frame where a lone white, dripping skull of what looks like a large non-domestic cat gazing to the east into the final surreal frame.

I was quite happy to find this mural as it presents a nice change of pace from the more realist murals around town. While a girl's arms sprouting into a leafy tree isn't exacty "real" a bodiless swan head and cat skull are a bit further along the way of nuttiness that I like.

April 25, 2006

It's that time of the week again! It'll be nice to wind down the day with a few drinks [$1 off specials] and free Buffalo wings at Tangier [1801 Lombard St] from 6p - 9p. It always is. And volunteering more and more hours every week on the Pennacchio campaign, [it's basically a 2nd job at this point, a fun job, but 2nd job-like hours!] the little breaks here and there are that much more fun.

I wonder if we'll have a few more visitors, some of those entrenched folk, after the article and the Doc's invitation. Either way, it's 70° and I'll be drinking a Guinness outside.

Surely this will bring down those gasoline prices, right? Prices are just about at $3 for regular here in Philadelphia.

From the AP:

Easing the environment rules will allow refiners greater flexibility in providing oil supplies since they will not have to use certain additives such as ethanol to meet clean air standards. The suspension of oil purchases for the federal emergency oil reserve is likely to have only modest impact since relative little extra oil will be involved.
...
The president said Democrats in the past have urged higher taxes on fuel and price caps to control fuel expenses, but he said neither approach works. Instead, he called for increased conservation, an expansion of domestic production and increased use of alternative fuels like ethanol.

Did you just do a double take too? Ethanol good? Ethanol bad? Grrrr. Hulk smash!

But for real, we have some ridiculous problems here. And Bush has his take on them:

Bush said that high gasoline prices are like a hidden tax on consumers and businesses, although he said the nation's economy was strong. He urged Congress to take back some of the billions of dollars in tax incentives it gave energy companies, saying that with record profits, they don't need the breaks. He urged lawmakers to expand tax breaks for the purchase of fuel-efficient hybrid automobiles.

A hidden tax on the community, indeedy. That tax is being collected in the Veep's pockets. The economy is strong like steamd bok choi [hint hint]. Urged Congress to take back tax incentives he and his Veep pushed through?! Expand tax breaks for hybrids? How about taking away tax breaks for Hummers too.

What are your suggestions taking a longer term look at things than this myopic BushCo?

Between Noon and 8p, Ben and Jerry's will be giving away free scoops of their deliciously fattening ice cream. Here in Philly, the lines will be around the corner by Rittenhouse Square at 18th/Walnut Sts and over on UPenn's campus at 40th/Locust Sts. If you dare sit through the wait for one scoop, more power to ya.

April 24, 2006

That's the headline of an article in today's Daily News. I'm in it. It's about the young progressive movement going on here in Philly. And if you actually buy the paper for 60¢, you'll be treated to a pic of me, Hannah and Chris. Puzzling why Philly.com doesn't post all the photos that make it into the paper, maybe that's just the premium for the paper version. Aside from my own ego pumping, there is some juicy stuff in there.

Chris noted how we've come across quite a bit of pushback

We have received significant and very disturbing pushbacks from city committee... It's extremely counterproductive when you consider that a vast majority of what we're doing is challenging for seats where no one is doing anything.

Lucey [the writer] asked Congressman Bob Brady, the Philadelphia Democratic party chairman, about the pushback and he had this to say:

I'm not aware of it, nor am I concerned about it... Everybody has the right to run.

That's really funny. REALLY FUCKING FUNNY. Why? Because I remember being passed a few letters via a friend. One of them from the desk of Bob Brady, on Philadelphia Democratic Executive Committee letterhead and all that stated:

It has come to my attention that there is an organized effort to file petitions to become a Democratic committee person in many wards in the city. It is clear that this effort has been started by forces that seek to polarize and destroy this party. I strongly urge you to oppose their efforts. I suggest that you immediately notify me at City Committee of the divisions where this has occurred. I will have the petition reviewed to determine if it is defective. If it is, I will assist you in filing a petition with the Common Pleas Court to have the person stricken from the ballot on behalf of your designated candidate in that division.

We are a family united. As your leader and friend, I will fight to make sure we remain united.

I will also prepare withdrawal slips for these individuals that filed and I will try to have them withdrawn.

Does he not recall the letter he wrote and signed on March 8, 2005? It's shit like this that makes Hannah's words ring so true:

The Democratic Party will wither and die unless active people get involved.

I know of much nastier stuff going on than a simple letter.

And the ending of the story is just priceless with a quote from Terry Gillen, 30th ward leader. She sent out a letter of her own in defense of the sitting committeepeople which said, in part:

I wanted to pass along a letter from the Chairman of our Democratic Party, Bob Brady. He is concerned that many committeeperson throughout the City are being challenged by outsiders who are trying to created division within the Democratic Party and within some of our wards and divisions. I personally believe that some of the people who are doing this are working hand in hand with the republican [sic] Party.

This week, some committeepeople may receive a notice that their petition is being challenged in court. If you receive this notice, let me assure you that Bob and I and the Democratic Party will go to court and fight to make sure that you can run for reelection. Democratic Party lawyers will argue your case for free in order to keep your name on the ballot. We will do this because we all need to stick together and fight these people who want to divide us.

Let me know as soon as soon as possible if you receive a legal challenge of if you believe that someone is trying to remove your name from the ballot.

If we stick together we can stay strong. We won't play into the Republicans' hands and allow anyone to divide us!

The story ended with this:

What I hope doesn't happen is you have people knocking off longtime committeepeople and then dropping out in two years because it's boring.

It seems that she has failed to notice how her us are the ones who are now bored with the job and not doing a thing now. That's why we're running. The Party is broken here in Philadelphia. It is rotting from the inside out. I'm proud to say that I'm part of the fresh blood that wants to gut this rotting tree and plant a new forest of progressive change.

To think that people running for committeeperson are doing it for shits and giggles and aren't really committed to the job is such fucking bullshit. Who wants to take on another job wich pays nothing; takes up a good chunk of time in election cycles; is the first contact from the private citizens; and did I mention this is basically a volunteer gig which pays nothing? Committeepeople are almost a free customer service department for the city. Don't like the pothole on your block? Walk up to your committeeperson in the grocery store and tell them. A stop sign fall down? Knock on your committeeperson's door and tell them. Need help trying to get a cutout in a sidewalk? Let your committeeperson know and s/he'll send it up the ladder. What crazy fucks want that job? Crazy fucks like me. And crazy fucks like me have more crazy friends who are also running. Thank you everyone who is are committed to and running for change: Chris, Danie, Sabra, Marc, Stephanie, Andrea, Robin, Hannah, Sam...

I found this article in Monday's NY Times very interesting for a couple of reasons. First off, it deals with the hot button social issue of embryonic stem cell research. Secondly, given the recent coverage of the NYT of the PA senate race where they basically say Bob Casey will get the nod even with staunch opposition from within his own party; this stem cell article doesn't bring up Casey's position on embryonic stem cell research. It's the same as BushCo.

I support the current federal policy on embryonic stem cell research and would oppose the Castle bill to expand federal support of embryonic stem cell research... As a U.S. Senator, I will strongly support funding for stem cell research that doesn't destroy an embryo. [Ignatius Insight 7.29.05]

Unfortunately, Bob doesn't seem to be aware that embryonic stem cell research is the future and those embryos have to be destroyed. Also, the embryos that are to be worked on have already been discarded and will be destroyed anyways.

Some more reporting on the Castle bill here from 7.29.05 by the same reporter as this newer article.

Human embryonic stem cells are considered by scientists to be the building blocks of a new field of regenerative medicine. The cells, extracted from human embryos, have the potential to grow into any type of tissue in the body, and advocates for patients believe they hold the potential for treatments and cures for a range of diseases, from juvenile diabetes to Alzheimer's disease.

But the cells cannot be obtained without destroying human embryos, which opponents of the research say is tantamount to murder. "An embryo is nascent human life," Mr. Frist says in his speech, adding: "This position is consistent with my faith. But, to me, it isn't just a matter of faith. It's a fact of science."

On Aug. 9, 2001, in the first prime-time speech of his presidency, Mr. Bush struck a compromise: he said the government would pay only for research on stem cell colonies, or lines, created by that date, so that the work would involve only those embryos "where the life or death decision has already been made."

The House-passed bill would expand that policy by allowing research on stem cell lines extracted from frozen embryos, left over from fertility treatments, that would otherwise be discarded. Mr. Castle has said he believes the bill meets the president's guidelines because the couples creating the embryos have made the decision to destroy them.

Today's story focuses on the potential using of the issue of embryonic stem cell research as a new wedge issue.

Democrats are pressing their support for embryonic stem cell research in Congressional races around the country, seeking to move back to center stage an issue they believe resonates with voters and to exploit a division between conservatives who oppose the science and other Republicans more open to it.

The question of whether the government should support or limit stem cell research has cropped up in Senate races in Maryland and Missouri, and in House races in California, Colorado, Illinois, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Washington and Wisconsin, especially in suburban swing districts.

I let out a laugh as Pennsylvania was listed in the House races and left off the Senate list. In what the NY Times has already started to highlight [here and here] as one of the most important Senate races to get back majority in Congress, the issue that Dems are supposed to be using as a new wedge issue is moot.

This is the first real wedge issue Democrats have had with Republicans

says Jennifer E. Duffy, who tracks Senate races for the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. The first real wedge issue and what has Sen. Chuck Schumer done? Kissed it goodbye here in PA. Schumer promissed his Congressional colleagues that while this guy was pretty far Right, he'd never back extremist SCOTUS nominees, but then Bob goes out and says he'd vote to confirm both John Roberts and Samuel Alito. Oh, and he said he would've also voted to go to war in Iraq and doesn't feel a need to withdraw anytime soon. Let's not even touch on the whole anti-universal healthcare, anti-living wage, anti-choice thing. This candidate Casey is just a shitty choice who just falls short everywhere except for having a dad who was the governor, a popular one at that.

And then there's the candidate I'm volunteering more and more hours every week, Chuck Pennacchio. On the issues, he's a knight in shining armor compared to Bob. Chuck is pro-choice, pro-universal healthcare, pro-embryonic stem cell research, anti-war, anti-extremist SCOTUS appointments, pro-balanced budget amendment, pro-living wage, wants to renew the assault weapons ban... The list just goes on and on and you can read more about his stances on the issues here.

There's only one choice for me in the primary and that's Chuck Pennacchio. A Casey victory would push back the progressive movement six years [his full Senate term]. It would plant another Zell Miller / Joe Lieberman in the Dem side of the aisle undercutting the efforts of the entire party and being BushCo's new favorite Dem lapdog. This guy can't be trusted to vote for a Democratic Senate Majority Leader.

April 23, 2006

I found out earlier today that one of my best friends from college [down in DC at American University], who is currently finishing up grad school at Cornell's top notch Hotel Administration school, will be settling down in Tennessee. He's taken some pretty cool trips in his two years and was interviewing all over the US for the last couple of months.

I'm incredibly happy for him. I'm happy for me too, it's another place for me to visit a friend! I've never been down there before. Maybe it'll be the next spot where the DC crew spends July 4th. A few of us have been celebrating our nation's independence each year in a different city where one of us has moved to since college. One of us may be out of the country for the summer though. A road trip to Tennessee would be pretty cool. I've always wanted to sample some TN BBQ. I hear that shit's the bomb.